Her Escape
by SorrowfulJoy
Summary: A quick look into the mind of Renee Swan the night she leaves her daughter behind with her drug dealing, abusive father. Companion piece to 'Save Me'. Please review! One shot.


Her Escape

Renee Swan trembled as she quietly placed some clothes in her bag, she couldn't afford to wake Charles. She wouldn't be able to leave then. He'd probably kill her, and that was something she had to avoid at all costs, especially with the circumstances. Her long brown hair swung forward over her pale shoulders as her pale, blue eyes swept over the contents in the bag. She had a loaf of bread, some clothes, her ID (which still had her surname on it), some cash she had stolen from her husband and one of her daughters 'friends'. Tears filled her sunken in eyes as she gently placed her fingers against the softness of the elephant.

"I'm so sorry, Bells," she whispered as she closed her eyes. She knew it was dangerous leaving her daughter alone, unprotected from the monster she had married, but now it wasn't just her life on the line. No, she placed her hand on her stomach. If Charles knew she was pregnant again, he'd probably beat her until she miscarried or he'd force her to have an abortion. She couldn't kill a child. Their marriage might have been dead, but she wouldn't allow that man to kill a child of hers.

Zipping the bag, she placed the strap over her shoulder and crept over to the bed to make sure Charles was out. His mouth was open, his arms stretched across where she normally slept. He was out. She was relieved about that. She turned and walked to the door, opening it slowly the young mother left the bedroom for the last time. She walked down the hall, the mansion was silent. All she could hear was her own breathing; it felt like her heart was pounding out of her chest. She continued down the hall until she got to her daughter's bedroom and went in, closing the door behind her.

"Oh Bella," Renee sighed, her eyes filling with tears again. She let them drip down her face as she walked silently over to her sleeping young daughter. She was only seven years old. Renee had thought about taking her daughter with her, but it'd be harder to escape with a child and it'd be easier to disappear without her daughter along. Guilt rammed its way up her throat and a sob escaped her as she ran her fingers through her daughters brown, curly locks. Bella shifted and Renee froze as her daughter sleepily opened her eyes and looked up at her mother.

"Momma?" The girl asked and Renee forced a smile on her face.

"Hey, baby," Renee said and watched as her daughter yawned. "I love you, sweetheart. Remember that, okay?"

"M'kay, love you," and she fell back asleep. Renee let out another sob and lay down next to her little girl, holding her for the last time. She stayed there until she felt she couldn't risk staying any longer. She sat up and leaned forward and softly kissed Bella's head.

"I love you, so much. Please forgive me," Renee whispered before rising and leaving her daughters room. She crept down the hall and down the stairs until she reached the front door. She zipped up her coat and walked out of the house and out into the cold, October air. Licking her lips, she looked up at the house before turning and walking away, down the drive way.

"Be strong," she whispered to herself and pulled the small, pay-as-you-go phone. Phil had bought it for her. Phil, she smiled slightly, he was a good man. He was only twenty-three but he was mature, anyone who worked for Charles Swan had to be. Renee knew that he loved her, but her fear of Charles, and her first love for the evil man, kept her from giving her heart to the younger man. He had done a lot of work in the yard and on the house. Since Charles left so much, it gave her a lot of time to converse with him. He knew the horrors of her life, and he wanted to help. He was waiting about a mile away in his car to pick her up.

"Hello?" He answered when she rang his number.

"I'm ready," Renee choked out and she heard him sigh.

"She'll be fine, Renee, she's his daughter, why would he harm her?" Renee shook her head. Phil obviously didn't fully grasp the evils in her husband's mind.

"I'm almost at the end of the driveway." She answered and hung up. That was also another reason that she didn't love Phil. He didn't understand the love a parent had for their child. When she got to the end of the driveway she laid down on her stomach and crawled through the gap under the gate. Phil pulled up in a crappy car that no one would look at twice. She got in the passenger seat.

"Here's your plane ticket to Italy," Phil said and handed her an envelope. She opened it to find a plane ticket with some information but also what some cash. She counted it before gaping at the man driving the car.

"Three thousand dollars?" She whispered.

"I want you to be safe, Ren," he answered her and she trembled. Would she even be able to pull this off? Part of her screamed to go back to the house and protect her daughter at all costs, placing her hand on her stomach, she shoved that thought away.

"Thank you," she whispered as tears filled her eyes, again. She leaned her head on the window as sobs escaped her. She would never forgive herself for this. Never.

_**Hey everyone, this just a quick companion peice to Save Me. I just wanted everyone to get a quick look into Renee's mind as she left her daughter. In case any Save Me readers were curious if her going to Italy holds any significane, it does. But, that won't be known for a while. Please review and let me know what you think!**_

_**Thanks!**_


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